A Dragon's Tears
by Angel Skif
Summary: It's five years after Chihiro returned to the human world, and still no contact from Haku. What's happened to him? Bound and determined to find him, Chihiro leaves to find him, taking her on new grand adventures. rated for possible future content
1. Chapter 1

Chihiro sat down on the banks of the Rei River, knees drawn up to her chest. Softly swirling blue water flowed about five feet down from the steep banks to an indeterminable depth. The black denim bag lay at her feet in the mossy grass. Staring at the river, she pulled an apple from the sack and munched on it thoughtfully. Wrapping her free arm around her drawn knees, she sighed and rested her forehead on her kneecaps. 

__

Maybe he actually isn't _coming back…_

Her thoughts raced away as she finally admitted that possibility to herself. What if something bad had happened to him? What if Yababa had somehow put him back under her spell? What if the bathhouse was destroyed while he and Lin were still inside? Come to think of that, whatever happened to Lin? Terrible images flashed through her mind. The apple lay forgotten on the grass where it had fallen from her limp hand. Chihiro bit onto her bottom lip with increasing pressure until she tasted blood.

Blood…Memories flashed through her head.

A small girl called Sen, dressed in a bright melon-pink outfit, knelt down beside a bleeding dragon, his head resting in her lap…

The same girl shoving her bloody hand into a giant-sized fat baby's face to make him let go of her…

Herself sitting on the floor of a bloodstained boiler-room, cradling a bleeding Haku in her lap, while Kamaji the Boilerman coaxed him to swallow some water…

Anxiously Chihiro swallowed and closed her eyes, willing the memories away. She clutched her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth, keeping the tears and pain inside. Her fist pressed tight to her mouth to stifle her sobs, she sniffed hard and whimpered. _Where are you, Haku? Why aren't you here with me?_

Silently Chihiro thought back on their shared adventure only five years ago… had it really been that long? Yes, it must've been, since now she was fifteen years old. If she ever saw Haku again, would he recognize her? Had he already forgotten her? She vividly remembered everything about those precious few days. She remembered the bathhouse and her first job as Yababa's lackey: tending to a particularly smelly guest who turned out to actually be a River Spirit. She had, with the help of the entire bathhouse staff, pulled a bicycle and a whole junkyard's worth of junk from the human world out of him. The River Spirit… Her smile dimmed and she shook her head as the memory of her final farewell to Haku replayed in her head. Small tears dripped down from her eyes to her chin and from there to her hand. She pressed her eyes tightly closed to quell the tears.

Blindly she reached for her satchel, thinking to get a drink of water. Her throat ached from holding the tears inside. Her hand searched the contents of the bag, seeking one of the bottles of water or tea she'd packed. Instead her fingers brushed by an object of unexpected texture. Curious, she opened her eyes and pulled out the small lump. It was round, mostly, and wrapped up in pastel pink wax paper. Intrigued, she peeled back a bit of the paper and peeked inside, then had to close it again and quickly put it away as the tears once more threatened.

Rice cakes. She knew she didn't pack them—her mother must've. Clearly she remembered Haku coaxing her to eat while he held her sobbing body in his arms. He'd given her his own rice cakes.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Chihiro unfolded her legs and urged her knees to support her weight. She continued her hike upstream, scooping up the bag without breaking stride. Quietly sniffling still, she wiped her eyes and set a determined pace. 

__

I will _find you, Haku._

"Haku was a River Spirit himself," she reminded herself aloud, reasoning her logic out once more. "So, even if his river was filled in, perhaps when he returned from the Other World, he'd become spirit of a different river, and I just have to find it." _Or perhaps, _her conscious pricked, reminding her of her secret thoughts, _perhaps he came back a human. A riverside town is as good a place to look as any. _

To take her mind off things, she began to sing a soft song to herself beneath her breath. After a short while later her cheerful mood returned and she balanced on the edge of the ravine, arms outstretched for balance. Carefully she placed one foot directly before the other and pretended to be back in her gymnastics class, pacing the thin balance beam. Never did her eyes stray from the ground before her feet, nor did she so much as glance at the gentle rapids below.

Suddenly the grassy plain was gone. In place of it was a thin, rusty and rickety pipe. Chihiro knew it was unstable, unlikely to hold her weight for long enough for her to cross, but she had to cross it. There was no other way. She closed her eyes tightly, gathering her courage, took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and dashed out onto the pipe. Beneath her feet the metal tubing was giving away almost faster than her feet could be placed on it, but she was determined to make it. A sense of urgency filled her, leaving no room at all for fear. She needed to hurry. Haku _needed _her.

But the pipe was giving way too fast… She wasn't going to make it… She felt herself falling…

Then she saw it—a ladder, bolted into the side of the bathhouse. It seemed sturdy, if uncomfortable. _Here goes… _She gathered the last of her momentum and launched herself at the ladder, clinging tightly to it. Haku had flown up through the topmost window, and if she didn't hurry up to him, he'd bleed to death before she could reach him. She had to hurry… Pausing only long enough to spit the leaves from her mouth…

__

Leaves?!

Chihiro blinked rapidly, shook her head, and blinked again, disoriented. Both the bathhouse and pipe were gone, replaced by grassy knolls and a sharp, knife-edge gully. The ladder had vanished. She found herself instead clinging to the top of a tree, swaying precariously. Blushing furiously at her imagination, she quickly scaled back to the ground, thankful that no one was there to witness her actions. She moved back to pace the rim of the crevasse.

As she walked on the edge, she pulled out a folding map of the general area and approximated her location. "Ookay," she said aloud to herself, "there should be a bridge around here somewhere… And by there, a village." _Maybe he'll be there…_

An unnatural shadow fell over her and a cold misty wind blew her hair forward to frame her face. Something was wrong; she'd checked the weather forecast when she awoke, anticipating the hike, and it was supposed to be a gentle spring day. So why was the wind blowing so cold? And why weren't the trees moving? She looked up at the clear blue sky. The gorgeous aquamarine color reminded her of the sea that had appeared overnight in the Spirit World after only one night of rain. She sighed deeply and took another step, delighted in the splendid color.

A clattering of rocks and dry dirt clogs showered the river below as the rock on which she had just placed her weight shifted and slipped from the bank edge. It clamored down the steep incline and into the water with a loud splash. Chihiro, shifted off balance by the displacement of the stone, stood on the edge of the bank for a moment, tottering precariously, then tumbled head over heels into the deep waters.

Suddenly the deceptively placid-looking waters turned vicious, buffeting her with wave after wave of sheer power, forcing her under. Air escaped her mouth and lungs to be replaced by swirling torrents of water, choking off her breathing.

__

So this is it, she thought as she felt her vision growing black around the edge. _This is how it ends. I'm so sorry, Haku, that I couldn't be here when you came for me… I'm sorry… Haku…_


	2. Chapter 2

Bright white lights danced before her eyes. A low, rasping sound hurt her ears and increased the pounding throb in her head. She tried to cover her ears, to block out the sounds and the throbbing, but for some reason she couldn't move her hands or arms. Her eyes wouldn't open.

Suddenly her nose was pinched shut and she couldn't breathe… Had she even been breathing to begin with? Her chin was pulled down and a mouth covered her own. Air was forced down her throat and into her lungs. She tried to take a gasping breath, but just then a blunted force pressed down just below her ribcage, three times. The pressure forced the water in her lungs up and into her mouth. Gurgling helplessly, she began to suffocate again. 

Then her head was turned roughly to the side so that the water drained away. Still she couldn't breathe. Again came the pressure to her lungs and stomach, and still more water was forced into her mouth to be replaced with life-giving air. Enough air filled her lungs for her to begin retching. Gently she was rolled onto her stomach, head hanging over the wet banks of the river. Murky water gushed from her mouth like a faucet. Weakly she pushed herself up to her hands and knees.

A soothing, gentle hand rubbed gently upward from her waist to her shoulders, urging the water along, while another hand held her hair out of her way. She heard a soft voice cooing, "Come on, little one. Give the river back some of its water." When the gagging retches subsided, she nearly collapsed into the river again. Her arms shook violently and she wasn't sure how long she could support herself. Weakly she coughed again and tried to push away from the bank of the ravine. 

Two strong arms encircled her waist, gently pulling her to a strong shoulder. Tenderly but firmly her cheek was pushed against that shoulder and she reveled in the feel of soft silk. Chihiro closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax, still trembling violently. One hand caressed her back while the other ran through her sopping locks. 

"Feel better?" came a quiet, soothing male voice.

Numbly she nodded, still too drained to move or speak. After a few moments of deep, steady breathing the world stopped tilting and tottering and she felt a little better. When she pulled away, he let her.

Chihiro looked upon her rescuer and blinked, certain she'd actually died. The man sitting on his heels before her could be described as nothing but an angel: his crystal-clear baby blue eyes glowed with soft green-gold flecks and white-blond hair fell to the tops of his shoulders in a damp, clingy wavy mop. His face was thin and charming, pale as freshly skimmed milk. A strange mark on his forehead, a pale pink ten-pointed star stood plainly out through his moppy silvery-white bangs. The man was dressed in all black silk, which accented the paleness of his eyes, skin and hair. At his throat was a choker necklace inlaid with an oval-shaped black stone about the size of a child's fist. The stone was veined with milky white and silvery lines that traced swirls in random patterns. The dusk light tinged his face and hands with a faint pinkish glow.

Then he smiled at her, glanced around, then smiled again in her direction. "Do you, uh, drown her often?"

The gentle tone of his voice coupled with his benign smile eased the sting of the tease and coaxed a tentative smile from her lips. "Actually I've only almost drowned twice."

"Only twice?" He adopted a look of mock astonishment. "You drown with the best of them, madam." The angel bowed, then looked up at her and winked swiftly. "How, may I ask, did you survive the previous time, if you'd share your secrets with a humble amateur?"

"I…I was rescued…by the River Spirit." A small laugh bubbled up in her breast, making her chest ache.

"Rescued by a River Spirit? Hmm…" The man rubbed the back of his neck, then smiled and snapped his fingers. "Got it. The Kohaku River, correct?"

At her numb nod, he continued, "I thought so. Only Haku would save a drowning child—he's nicer than most spirits around here."

Chihiro's eyes grew wide and she pulled her hair out of her face. "Do you know him? Where is he? When did you last see—"

"Whoa, Chihiro," he said, holding his hand up. "I'm sorry, I haven't seen him in years. He's just an old friend of mine." He shook his head to emphasize the denial.

"Oh." Head bowed, she stared at the mossy grass. After a few moments, a thought flitted through her head: _How does he know my name? _She was about to ask that question, when he said, "You're looking for him?" She nodded. "Would you mind if I came along? I'd like to see my friend once again."

Chihiro blinked. "Sure, I'd like the company." She glanced around, then realized that the scenery was totally unfamiliar. _I couldn't have floated that far downstream, could I? I shouldn't be far from home… But I've been all up and down this river, and I don't recognize _anything. _Where am I?_

He nodded, then placed a restraining hand on her shoulder when she made to rise. "Sit, Chihiro, you're not strong enough to go anywhere yet."

Sinking back to the ground, she pulled her sopping hair from her eyes again. She held it bunched behind her head for a moment, then realized what was missing. Imploring brown eyes turned upon the angel. "My hair-tie. Where is it?"

He held up his hand. Chihiro was relieved to see the ruby band glint in the fading light against his skin. She held her hand out for it and he dropped it in her palm. 

"I'd be very upset if I lost this," she said as she held it in her teeth, using her hands to pull her hair back. As she looped the band around her hair tightly, she explained, "My friends made it for me years ago—spun the thread, wove the cloth, everything—and I've used it ever since. Granny said it would protect me."

"That it has," the angel chuckled gently. "If I hadn't seen the red glinting in the water from a distance, I probably wouldn't have seen you."

Chihiro absorbed that news and sat back on her heels. She blinked, stifled a yawn, and blinked again. Suddenly exhausted, she curled up on the mossy grass and closed her eyes. 

"What's your name, anyway?" she asked sleepily.

"Onikisu. Sleep, little one. I'll watch over you." She heard him moving closer and felt his hand brush gently over her hair and cheek. Sighing deeply, she allowed waves of sleep to overtake her and drown her in their blissful unawareness. 

It was some hours later when she awoke. It was dark now, the blackness surrounding her nearly thick enough to choke on. Chihiro held her hand up in front of her face, but she couldn't see it. Bright twinkling stars marked the sky, showing her up and down, but that was all she could see. There was no moon.

"Onikisu? Onikisu, where are you?" She kept her voice low and unsteadily rose to her feet. "Onikisu?"

There was a bit of rustling behind her. Chihiro turned around quick enough to catch a glimpse of white, and then it was gone, swallowed up in the darkness as well. "Onikisu?"

A breeze gently tugged at her hair and cooled her cheek. She turned around, but wasn't sure how many times. All she could see was blackness. 

"Chihiro?" The familiar voice came from somewhere off to her left. "Chihiro, are you awake?"

"Onikisu? Yes, I'm awake. Where are you?"

"Stay right there, I'm coming." She heard the grass sway and the creek babble, but nothing else. Suddenly he was _there_, touching her shoulder to announce his presence. Startled, Chihiro drew away, then relaxed. 

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere. Why are you awake?" He took her hand in the darkness and gently drew her back down to the ground. She noticed now that his cloak had been spread out, comfortably cushioning her from the hard ground. "You need your rest," he continued.

"I just woke up. Onikisu, I'm thirsty. Do you know where my bag went? I had some water in there…"

"I didn't find it in the river or along the banks," he said apologetically. "Stay here, I'll be back in a moment."

"But—" She knew he was already gone. With a sigh she sat back on her heels. _Now_ where had he gone?

Nearly half an hour passed before he came back. Once again she didn't hear him, but he was just suddenly _there_. She heard water sloshing somewhere nearby that wasn't the river.

"Hold your hands out," he said softly. Puzzled, she did as she was told and cupped her hands together, holding them up. A cold, slightly damp basin of what felt like stone was set in her hands slowly to ensure she didn't drop it.

Slowly she lifted the basin to her face and sniffed it. "What is this?"

"Water. Just drink. The river's clean, so don't worry about that."

Thankfully she let the water slide down her throat. It tasted heavenly, crisp and clean.

"You shouldn't need to drink any more water," she heard him say lightly, the gentle teasing back in his voice. "You swallowed half of the river earlier."

Chihiro smiled at that and took another drink of water. "Yes, but you made me throw that back up." 

"Yeah, well…" 

She laughed and set the empty stone basin aside. Yawning, she curled back up on the cloak. Another piece of cloth was draped over her, this one already warm. This she pulled closer to her and closed her eyes. She felt Onikisu lie down behind her, back to back, and felt him sigh deeply. Once more she let the waves of sleep overpower her and lead her back to unconsciousness. 


	3. Chapter 3

Soft sunlight filtered through the morning air, slowly evaporating the softly damp dew. Birds twittered in the treetops, their songs unearthly unusual. Chihiro stirred on the cloak and moaned softly before settling back down.

Onikisu watched her intensely as he resettled his silk over-shirt on top of her. _This _was the girl Yubaba was so worried about? _This _slip of a human? He shrugged and studied her face. Though she looked almost nothing like the image the witch of the bathhouse had placed in his mind, there were some grudging similarities: the eye color, for example, and attitude. However, this girls hair was considerably lighter, a few shades redder. Her face was thinner and more elegant. Taller by at least five inches and more filled in the body, this Chihiro was almost beyond semblance of the ten-year-old who wandered into the Other World five years ago.

He shrugged, not one to question Yubaba's orders. This girl would lead him to Haku, and then he could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Or—two _dragons._

Lips curled into a feral smile, he leered at the sleeping girl as the star-shaped mark on his forehead burned a dark, angry black.

"So where are you from?"

Chihiro ran forwards a few paces to catch up with her friend. "Onikisu, did you hear me?"

He started for a moment, then smiled distractedly at her. "Hmm? Sorry, what did you say? My mind ran away with me for a moment."

She smiled at him gently. "I asked where you were from."

Turning to face the distant horizon, Onikisu stopped walking for a moment to gaze into the pearly clouds. Something was coming—a storm, perhaps—but what exactly he was not yet sure. After a moment he said, "Far away from here. Where I come from there are no flat plains like these." He swept his arm out in an explanatory motion. 

Slowly Chihiro turned and looked around her. _Flat plains? _"Um, Onikisu, this is a _forest._"

"I see that. But the _land_ is flat."

"Yours isn't?"

Once again he began walking, clarifying his statement at the same time. "No, not really. At one level, it is, but not where I come from. See, my land is made mostly of… how would you say it? Very high hills. High _pointy _hills." At her blank look, he added, "Bearded high pointy hills."

A puzzled look crossed her face. "Mountains?"

"Ye-es," he said hesitantly, "but at the same time, not really. It is similar in appearance, but the inside is mostly hollow."

"A volcano?"

"No… not exactly." He smiled a bit at her. "See, the land is like one of your mountains, but the things on it are so different, Chihiro. Our fauna and flora are so dissimilar, it's like they come from two different universes, not merely worlds. Out animals, for example—"

"Wait a moment, Onikisu. Different _worlds? _Where are we? We can't be in the Spirit World?" Chihiro had stopped walking at his mention of opposing worlds. "No… We can't be. I didn't see the gate or the bridge or the bathhouse…"

Onikisu was shaking his head, tsking softly under his breath. "Chihiro, little one, does a building not have more than one entrance?"

"Yes, but a building has _doors, _something visible—"

He shook his head again at her naiveté. "No, _osanago_, that's not what I mean. What is a door, in literal sense? It is nothing more or less than a portal." His tone was soft, gentle, and patient, as if he were instructing a child. "Now, a portal may be anything, though most people think only of solid, material things. The bridge to the bathhouse is a portal to the Other World." He nodded. "But also is this wood, this river." His hand swept around again lightly. "All of this is a portal—a door, if you will."

Blinking, Chihiro looked around her. All at once she noticed the subtle changes in the woods: the leaves were turning a more bluish tint than green; the water in the river was more turquoise when viewed from the side, but still crystal clear when reflected upon from above; the clouds above seemed more solid; the birdsong became more supernatural; a rolling mist began to take form around their feet, swirling with their motions. With a shuddering sigh she closed her eyes and began walking again.

"Where are you going, Chihiro?" 

"I don't know, Onikisu. I don't know _where _I am."

"Well, that's easy." He walked up after her, slowly closing the distance between them with his longer stride, until they were side by side. "We're on the opposite side of the Spirit World of the bathhouse you are so familiar with."

"You mean we're nowhere near Yubaba or Zeniba?"

"Nowhere even close." He shook his head and gently took her hand. "You're _safe _with me, Chihiro. Trust me."

She smiled a bit at him and answered very softly, "I do."

"Good."

It was some hours later when they decided to stop and make camp. The foggy mist had risen up to their knees, chilling their feet to ice. While Onikisu went out and foraged for supplies, Chihiro searched about for suitable bedding areas. On a stroke of luck she found the caves. They were set up about five feet from the ground, dry, and covered with soft, thick moss. She had to jump and cling to the edge of the ridge to haul herself up, her chin barely coming up to the floor of the caves. Inside she sat back and wrapped herself in Onikisu's cloak to ward off the chill and wait for his return.

"Chihiro? Chihiro, where are you?"

"Up here, Onikisu." Crawling over to the edge of the caves was easier said than done with numb hands and legs, but Chihiro managed. "It's dry and semi-warm. We'll be out of the fog, at least."

He handed up the food he'd gathered. While she moved it further inside, he hoisted himself up beside her and sprawled out on the moss. Plucking up an edible fruit that looked somewhat like a cherry, he closed his eyes and relaxed.

Chihiro sat with her back propped against the wall of the caves. "Onikisu?"

"Hmm?" He spit the pip of the fruit out of the cave and turned towards her without opening his eyes. "What is it, Chihiro?"

"Will you tell me of your homeland? You said it was so different…"

"It is." Sighing he tried to think of the words to explain things to her. "What would you like me to describe?"

She was quiet for a moment. He was about to open his eyes and ask if she was all right when she said softly, "The animals. You said they were different."

A small smile played across his lips. "Oh, Chihiro, the animals are so wonderful. There are birds with bodies and wings of fire and ice. Their songs are so beautiful they've been known to lull many a traveler to sleep. That person usually ends up as food for the babes. Cats are made of shadows, literally. Sleek and translucent smoky gray with bright green and amber eyes. They, however, are unusually gentle, especially with young children and babies. Lizards that breathe fire lurk around in fields."

"Dragons?"

"No, not quite. These lizards are tiny and usually bright colors. They burrow deep into the _hyouden_—snow, only alive—and live deep into the hollow mountains."

"What else?"

"Hmm… what else?" His eyes opened to slits, eager to see her reaction to this next bit of news. "Unicorns."

The girl blinked hard and stared at her companion. "Unicorns? Really?"

He nodded. "Chihiro, they're such beautiful creatures, unicorns. Most are powder white, but some are pastel blue, pink, and violet tinged. Why, I once ran across one that was a pure snowy white with a deep sapphire blue and silver tail and mane. Its horn was a lovely washed-out golden color." Her friend nodded again. "Indeed I did."

Chihiro sighed dreamily, her eyes adopting their customary glazed look that told everyone that her mind was wandering. "I wish I could see a unicorn…"

"Do you?" Onikisu rolled up onto his elbows and smiled at her, eyes wide open. "I could take you to my homeland some day. You could see a unicorn."

"Really?" Her smile was radiant, filling him with warmth. "You'd do that for me?"

Once more he nodded and she laughed with delight. "Thank you, Onikisu! I've always wanted to see a unicorn."

"And so you shall, little one." He smiled gently at her. "Now. Eat your supper and go to sleep."

__

Something was wrong… He could feel it in his bones. He needed to hurry… But he was tired, so tired… No, he couldn't rest now. If he didn't keep going, something horrible was going to happen to her… He couldn't let that happen now, not after all that had happened. But he was so tired…


	4. Chapter 4

The milky fog swirled thicker than ever the next morning. Visibility beyond their cozy shelter was about three feet. Onikisu couldn't even see far enough to see the ground at the base of their cave when he leaned out. _Hmm, _he thought, _I guess we could just stay here today. However… This would be an excellent time to lead her back to Yubaba without her realizing where we were going because of the fog… _The urge to stretch his legs and let a run take his mind off things filled him. Casting a glance over his shoulder at the sleeping Chihiro, he thought to himself, _The spell I put on her food last night should be strong enough to knock her out for at least twelve hours. She'll still be asleep when I get back if I make it a quick run…_

Silently he slid down the side of the cliff and to the ground. Merging was easy enough to do now, but it still took him several seconds to transform. Reveling in his newfound freedom, he let out a triumphant yell and ran down the dim trail between the trees. Within seconds, the mist swallowed him up, leaving nothing, not even the wind of his passing, behind.

__

She was close, so very close; he could taste it on the air. Where was she?

He was so tired, but her safety came first. He must hurry… She was in grave danger… 

He must hurry, but he was so tired…

A beautiful and yet unnatural scream filled the air. Chihiro was slow to shake herself from the bonds of sleep. Eyes tightly closed still, she rolled over—

And out of the cove.

A startled yelp escaped her lips as she dropped from the ridge to the ground, landing with a dull _thud, _followed by a low groan of pain. Slowly she sat up and rubbed the back of her head. "Ow…" 

Chihiro tried to discern the objects around her, but all she could see was dense white mist. It pressed against her face and throat, feeling wonderfully cool, repressively cold, and threateningly sinister all at the same moment. She knew in an instant that she did not like it at all, and that there would be no escape from it.

"Onikisu? Onikisu, where are you?"

Hesitantly she moved forwards into the misty, arms outstretched to avoid hitting or being hit by something. Small steps seemed to get her nowhere, and yet within a dozen steps, she couldn't tell where she was or how far away her shelter was.

Shivering from the cool of the haze, she decided to try to go back to the cave to retrieve the cloak Onikisu had left for her. As soon as she turned around, however, she realized a chilling truth:

She was hopelessly lost.

__

I can't be that _far from the ridge, _she thought desperately. _I'll just walk back the way I came until I find it. _Again she turned in a circle, trying to get her bearings.

__

Which way did I come from? 

Arms still outstretched, she felt her fingertips brush the rough bark of a tree. "Okay," she said aloud, "there weren't any trees by the cave. So if I go _this _way"—she turned her back to the tree—"then it should be in _that _direction." Slowly she took another step…

And stopped as she ran face first into another tree. 

Stepping back and rubbing her nose ruefully, she muttered, "Okay, nod _dad _way." 

Lofty figures of tree-trunks towered over her, a dark gray in the misty haze surrounding her world. Chihiro couldn't even see the canopy of the trees—the fog obscured her vision. She considered trying to climb a tree to see further around her, but discarded the idea when she realized that the fog probably was just as thick above.

"Onikisu? Onikisu, are you there?" She knew full well that he would not be able to hear her even if he was, knew that her voice didn't even travel as far as her sight did, but she needed to try anyway. "Onikisu?"

A loud rustle to her right spun her around with the reflexes of one of Onikisu's shadow-cats. But when she tried to move ahead, she found herself blocked. 

Upon closer examination, it was the side of a large horse that blocked her, the color of the animal's hide perfectly matching that of the fog. Lightly she ran her fingers over its side as her eyes traveled up and down its body. The mane and tail stood out clearly, a rich, deep sapphire intertwined with shimmery silver. The sleek neck was bowed; the horse's ears were laid back. But what caught her gaze and held it…

She gasped. A gleam of soft, dark light radiated from the tip of an obsidian horn growing from the center of the animal's head. _It's a unicorn! _

The unicorn's ears were laid back threateningly, front legs braced apart, head bowed with the horn pointing ahead menacingly. But it was not she it was trying to intimidate; rather, someone or something in front of them. She remembered talking to Onikisu the night before, and his words. _"Why, I once ran across a unicorn that was a pure snowy white with a deep sapphire blue and silver tail and mane." _Wasn't that what he said, or something along those lines? But the unicorn he had been speaking of had had a golden horn, whereas this one had an ebony one with milky swirls, just like the gem that Onikisu wore at his throat. Just like the gem…

"Onikisu?"

The magnificent beast ignored her blithely, concentrating upon some unseen foe in the fog. Chihiro tried to discern shapes in the mist, but saw nothing except swirling shadows. What did he see?

She didn't know what happened next. Suddenly another creature launched itself at the unicorn, slamming her back against the tree hard. Then her protector was snatched away, leaving her crumpled against the base of the tree. 

A startled scream erupted from her throat as the tree above her exploded in shards of wood and leaves, showering her with splinters. The second creature bounced back from the ruins of the hardwood timber and lay limp on the ground, too exhausted and hurt to move any more. She wanted to pull away, but couldn't. Then the mists parted for a moment and she caught her first clear look at her attacker. Her heart nearly stopped.

The thundering of hooves came crashing towards them. She had to make her decision and make it fast. The earth-shaking noises were coming closer, echoing louder. Her head began to pound in tempo to the beating of the drums.

But there was real no decision to be made, nothing really to think about. She knew what she was supposed to do, what she would do. 

__

"NO!"

Chihiro flung herself upon the snowy white dragon, shielding his body with her own. She held her arms tightly around his thin body and pressed her cheek against the smooth scales one last time. A scant second later she felt a sharp stab of pain shoot up her side from her waist to the middle of her ribs. Warm sticky liquid poured from her side and fell upon the beautiful alabaster brute beneath her, and yet she was cold and growing colder, ever colder. As the blackness settled upon her once more, she heard an anguished roar and an angry scream.

The body beneath her was moving and she clung tightly to consciousness. 

"Chihiro! Chihiro, please, don't die!" Two strong arms clutched her tightly to a warm body, but she was so cold… The achingly familiar voice did nothing to ease the pain in her heart. "You can't die on me, Sen. Not now. Chihiro, answer me. Chihiro? _Chihiro!"_

A second voice joined the first in calling her name, but not even the two of them combined was enough to keep her tied to the world of the living. She was so cold… Everything was fading…

Then, blissfully, she knew nothing. 


	5. Chapter 5

After carefully wrapping her up from waist to chest under her shirt with strips torn from his own shirt, Haku slowly rose to his feet, cradling the fallen Chihiro in his arms. Her head fell back limply, pale as death. His face was dry, his eyes burning with anger. Every trace of pain and fatigue was gone, destroyed by concern and hatred. Slowly he turned away from Onikisu, still kneeling, and walked through the mists until he was gone. Onikisu stared after him, still numb from what had happened, what he had done. 

A black light rose up around him, reflected by the obscure mist to make a sort of black-light room. An image of Yubaba projected from the black onyx at his throat. The fat witch hadn't changed at all over the five years, and was still just as amoral. Her nose as almost as long as her head was large and it stuck out of her head at a funny angle. She was short with straw-colored stringy hair and beady black eyes and thick light blue-violet eye shadow. A red dot was fixed right between her eyes. Gaudy golden baubles hung from her ears and somehow tied together her furrowed face and ballooned blue dress complete with half a dozen white lacy petticoats. 

"Onikisu," she snapped irritably, "What are you doing? What happened?"

"She's… Gods, Yubaba, I think I killed her…"

"Is Sen dead yet?"

"No, not quite…"

"Bring the girl and the boy to me—"

"I didn't kill Haku yet, Master."

Her eyes went wide. "You didn't…? Then why are you still alive?"

Onikisu shrugged. "I think he was too worried about Chihiro to deal with me."

"No matter. Kill the dragon and bring them both to me before the girl dies." Then she was gone.

__

No… I can't. Chihiro is my friend, and I almost killed her… Onikisu rocked back and forth, shivering hard. _I killed my friend… _

A deeper voice sounded at the back of his conscious mind and he felt the star-shaped birthmark on his forehead that proclaimed him a unicorn while he was in human form burn. _And it's too bad you didn't. Now, while he's vulnerable, get the boy. _

No! I can't kill Haku! He's already about to murder me for what you_ did to Chihiro! _

I? What I _did to Chihiro? Who's the one with the blood on his hands—and horn? Besides, his grief would make him weak, his hatred make him vulnerable. Get him._

NO!

Weeping silently, Onikisu fought the battle between himself and rocked back and forth, wondering how on earth Chihiro would ever be able to forgive him… if she lived long enough to have that chance.

Haku didn't know where he was going, just kept walking. His skin felt itchy and dry where her blood had dried while she'd been holding him in his dragon form. He could feel Chihiro growing colder in his arms, heavier. _My god, she's dying, and I don't know what to do. Think, Haku, think… _

Suddenly an idea came to him. Hurrying to complete a few calculations in his head, he nodded to himself. _She's close enough. _He searched around for a clearing big enough and finally found one. Gently he placed Chihiro on the ground, lying her arms right against her sides, then backed away. As quickly as he could he transformed into his dragon form and hopped over to her still form. Dragons were made for the air and water, but being grounded made them bulky, awkward. Cautiously he picked Chihiro up, mindful of his talons, and rose above the mists. 

Eyes peeled for the cottage, he wove through the air. The only thing he could see, however was the mist—mist and trees. He began to feel the panic beginning to creep around him, chill him, and draw him down. 

__

Where is it, where is it, where is it? Thoughts melded through his mind, blending and folding together into one mass of uncertainty and confusion. 

He took a deep breath and glanced around. Usually the feel of the cool air blowing on his cheeks calmed him, but not now. Often the sight of the stars and the moon soothed him, but not this time. The wind was too cold. He tucked Chihiro closer to his body. The sky was too dark. He held onto her tighter. 

__

Calm down, Haku. Think this through. You know where the isha lives; you've been there tons of times for Yubaba's baby. There, Kourui can take care of Chihiro while Isha takes care of you. Stay calm, Haku. She needs you to be calm.

Soon the mist began to deplete and he scrutinized the forest below more closely. _Where, where, where… No! _

Jerking to a sudden stop in midair, the dragon snorted exasperatedly and stared closely at the ground. _Zeniba? No, I can't be close to _her_; the Isha lives across the world from her! Sen doesn't have that much time—but can we trust Zeniba once more?_

Deciding he had no other choice, Haku slowly descended to the ground and into the mists.

The windows rattled, and he heard Zeniba's voice, so much like Yubaba's, call out, "Well, what do you want?"

Gently Haku placed Chihiro on the ground, hopped back a few feet, and changed back into his human form. He was scooping Chihiro up into his arms when he heard the door open. Barely could he make out the rectangle of light pooling from the open door. 

"Hello?" A familiar voice came muffled through the mists. Haku's spirits rose. 

"Lin? Lin, is that you?"

"Haku?" A form was quickly solidifying from the fog and Chihiro's friend from the bathhouse was visible. Her brown hair was now shorter, but here eyes were every bit as bright and cunning. "Haku, what are you doing here? Where's—what's that?"

"No time to explain." He brushed past the startled girl, clutching Chihiro close to him. Lin was barely able to catch a glimpse of the other girl's face before Haku swept her away.

"Is that—"

"Where is Zeniba?" he cut in.

"She's inside…"

"What are you ding here instead of at the bathhouse?"

"I left there, squirt." She followed him inside. "Zeniba, we have guests."

The kindly old woman, a spitting image of her twin Yubaba, bustled from the kitchen. She smiled kindly when she saw him. "Haku, dear, lovely to see you…" 

He walked past her without even acknowledging her. With a wide sweep of his hand he cleared everything off the table. The sudden noise made Chihiro stir but did not awaken her. As gently as he could he stretched her out on the table.

"Haku, what are you—Chihiro?" Zeniba came up behind him, the crankiness leaving her voice as she recognized her adoptive granddaughter. "What is she doing here?"

"Sen?" Lin came up behind Zeniba and Haku, peeking over their heads. She stood almost a foot and a half taller than the both of them. Lightly she reached out to shake her friend awake, but recoiled at the cold touch of her skin. "She's so cold. Haku, what's wrong with her?" 

No-Face slid around to the other side of the table. He was the first one to notice the blood soaking through the pads and Chihiro's clothing. "Uhn… uhn…"' Gesturing furiously, he moaned loudly.

Five years had gone by since Chihiro, then known as Sen, had saved Haku's life and No-Face had moved in with Zeniba. She was now well-versed in his grunts and groans and immediately looked to where she was pointing. Her face instantly drained of color as she bustled around the cabin hurriedly. Over her shoulder she snapped at Haku, "Why didn't you _say_ she was hurt? What happened?"

Before he could respond, Lin burst out, "She's _bleeding? _What cut her?"

"A unicorn's horn," Haku said grimly. "A _black _unicorn's horn."

Lin gasped and Zeniba halted in her movements for a moment then redoubled her efforts. "Then we must hurry to save our friend's life. She's lucky I've been around for awhile and know a little about these things."

"Should I send for the _isha_?" Lin asked worriedly.

"No time. Lin, prepare the bed. Warm the pallets and blankets. Haku, set some water on to heat up. No-Face, stoke the fires." The sorceress pointed at Chihiro's prone body and the small girl was lifted into the air. "This is going to be a long and tricky process. She might not make it, I might as well tell you now."

"No!" Haku choked out. Icy panic was gripping his heart. "She _can't _die, Zeniba! She _can't!" _

"For her sake, pull yourself together," the witch snapped. "This is going to require everyone's focus and complete attention. I don't know how bad her injuries are, but the fact that it was a black unicorn's horn makes it bad enough. We must hurry…"

The lamps burned bright all night long that night. Sounds of muted panic and bustle drifted outside through the settling mist. The creature outside, made mostly of a lamppost and a foot, hopped up into the window. When it saw what had happened, its light dimmed considerably. 

The question on everyone's mind was the same: _Would Chihiro live to see morning? _

~*~S/N~*~ Okay, I've been using some Japanese words up till now, so I guess I'll tell you what they mean. If I miss any, please let me know and I'll define them in later chapters.

****

Chapter 1:

__

Rei: Spirit

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Chapter 2:

__

Onikisu: onyx

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Chapter 3:

__

Osanago: little child; little one

__

Hyouden: snow

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Chapter 5:

__

Isha: doctor

__

Kourui: bitter tears; tears of blood


	6. Chapter 6

Three days had passed since their medical emergency. Haku stood vigil, sitting beside the bed. His hand clutched Chihiro's, daring death to try and take her from him, taunting the mysterious. Though she was still unconscious, Chihiro had been growing somewhat stronger every day: her breathing mellowed the first morning; color began to come back to her pale cheeks the next; her skin was beginning to warm to the touch one this day. Zeniba had explained to them all—Lin, No-Face, and himself—that the unicorn horn had grazed her heart, avoiding piercing it by a fraction of a millimeter. Still, she'd lost so much blood and when she awoke…if she awoke…she'd be very weak and was unlikely to be herself for a very long while. 

"She's likely to either be very clingy, or else want to be alone most of the time," she'd said, then gone on to say that most of these effects were caused due to the fact that it had been a black unicorn horn.

Lin scoffed. "White horn, black sworn, golden corn. What difference does it make?"

Zeniba rounded on her immediately. "Get this, Missy," she snapped, "and get it now. Unicorns are only capable of having horns of three colors naturally: white, black, and golden. The majority of the animals are born with golden. These kinds have no unnatural magical residue whatsoever. 

"Unicorns with white horns are rare, rarer yet are black. White is the purest color, therefore made up of purely positive magic. Should she have been pierced by a white mare or stallion, she'd have lost no blood nor would she be in any pain. She'd be fine.

"But she was attacked by a unicorn with a black horn. Black is full of evil, the wickedest color. No amount of magic or healing will help her now save her own body's natural healing abilities. Especially since it _was _a unicorn that attacked her; unicorn's magic is far more powerful than any other kind."

"That's why you haven't even bothered trying to use magical means to replace the blood she lost?" Haku nodded with understanding.

Lin had been quiet after that.

Every day Lin bathed Chihiro in a shallow tub of warm water, scrubbed her hair clean, and redressed the wound in her hip. She also made sure that the child had a clean kimono to wear every day. 

And every day Haku sat on the bed beside her, holding her hand or stroking her hair. He fed her daily, patiently spooning soup, broth, tea and water into her mouth. Even when she was in someone else's care, he was constantly at her side, always underfoot and in the way. Mainly it was just the two of them, Lin and Haku, taking care of Chihiro, though Zeniba oversaw them.

Finally Zeniba, fed up with Haku always being in the way and Lin jumping at shadows, stormed from the cottage that morning, muttering something about gathering herbs and medicine. 

Haku stared softly down at Chihiro, watching her sleep.

"Hey, kiddo," called Lin, popping her head into the room. "I'm outta here. No-Face and I are going to Crystal Falls on Zeniba's train pass to go shopping. Besides, little one there needs some more clothes—mine are much too big for her."

"Okay." Sunlight filtered in through the window, casting soft light on Chihiro's still face. He watched the play on the shadows and light and sighed. Inside he ached to see her smile.

"We'll be gone for a few days," Lin continued. "Until Zeniba comes back, you'll have to cook Sen's food and wash her hair tomorrow. Don't forget her tea. Haku, are you listening to me?"

"Yes, yes, yes," he said distractedly. "Going shopping. Cook Chihiro's food, wash her hair, give her medicine. Got it. Bye, Lin."

The girl shrugged and picked up her wicker basket on the way out the door. "Come on, No-Face, or I'm leaving without you."

"Uh… uh…" No-Face came out of his room, a comical floppy pink hat draped over his mask. Lin rolled her eyes and walked out the door. "Be back in a few days, Haku."

No-Face picked up the gold pouch and followed her out the door and down the road. The swinging lamp-creature hopped after them.

"Oh, no, Mister," he heard Lin roar from outside, "you're staying here." The lantern-creature followed them anyway.

Darkness crept in as hours marched out. It was late evening before Haku realized it. Loath to leave her side as he was, he figured she'd like her food and went into the kitchen to prepare it. Every few minutes he'd step back and look around the corner through the open door at her. She never moved.

When their dinner was prepared, he set her soup and tea on one side of the tray and his rice and water on the other, picked up the tray, and walked back into their room. His pallet was folded up in the corner neatly. At night he laid it out beside hers and fell asleep clutching her hand. 

Haku placed the tray beside her and moved up against the wall. Gently he pulled her into a half sitting up position in his arms, her head supported on his shoulder and his arm around her shoulders. Spooning up a bit of the steaming soup, he gently blew on it to cool it and let it trickle down her throat. When half of the soup had disappeared, she stopped cooperating. 

"Come on, little love," he murmured. "Just a bit more, please? For me? Please, Chihiro, you have to eat." After much cajoling and coaxing he managed a few more swallows of soup down her throat, but no more.

"All right, Chihiro, you don't have to eat anymore." He hugged her briefly. "Just a bit of tea, then I'll let you rest."

She swallowed about half the cup of the medicated tea when he put it down and eased her back down on her pallet. Lightly he traced his fingertips down her cheek, then set about eating his now-cold dinner. As he watched her sleep, he also finished off hers. 

Moonlight crept across the floor slowly. Soon it spotlighted Chihiro's serene face. Suddenly the exhaustion from the past days caught up with Haku. He wasn't sure if he could stay awake long enough to drag out his own pallet, so he lay down beside Chihiro on hers. Arm tucked around her waist, he whispered good night and was asleep in seconds.

She was floating away on a cloud. The pain was gone, leaving a numb nothingness behind. Sounds, lights, and tastes blended together and swirled away from her. It was like being suspended underwater—there was something there, and yet there was nothing. Oh, how she loved that feeling. 

The breeze on her cheek cooled her heated senses and slowly brought her back to the real world. Chihiro rolled onto her side, winced with a low moan, and continued onto her stomach. Slowly she opened her brown-green eyes.

Everything was hazy-blurry, surrounded in fog. Her mind was slow, making everything worse. With a sigh she drifted back to the nothingness.

The sudden noise roused him from a deep sleep. It had just felt so right holding her that he'd allowed himself a deep, comfortable sleep instead of just the light stages he'd been in for the past half-week. 

Haku opened his eyes and blinked. She'd moved!

Abruptly he sat upright and lightly shook her shoulder. 

"Chihiro? Chihiro, are you awake?" When she didn't respond, he switched tactics. "Sen? Wake up, Sen, we're going to go rescue your parents." Still no answer.

But she'd been awake, or at least moved out of this coma-like state at one point or another, hadn't she? Or was someone playing a cruel joke on him?

Slowly, reluctantly, he stood and walked out of the room. "Zeniba? Zeniba, are you back? Lin? No-Face?"

No one answered his call. Shrugging, he went back into the room and sat down beside Chihiro. She was lying on her stomach now, facing him, with her arms crossed under the pillow. Her face was peacefully calm. He smiled softly at his friend.

"Sleep well, my little one." His hand briefly traced through her hair, then he stood and went about the chores. 


	7. Chapter 7

Dusk had fallen, the milky fog growing denser, the stars duller. Nighttime creatures sang their songs to the still air. A solitary owl soared over the chaos, hoping to snatch a meal. Maybe he'd get lucky tonight.

Something in the white mist swirled just right, revealing a glimpse of movement on the ground level. The owl, delighted and enthralled with the feel of the chase, swooped low.

At the last moment when it was almost too late to pull out of the dive, the unlucky owl saw that his meal was not the juicy field mouse or luscious ferret he'd thought. The unicorn below tossed its head, marbled black horn striking out at the owl's tender talon. Screeching its indignity, the disappointed fowl oddly flapped back to its lonesome tree, resigned to another hungry night.

Onikisu slowly walked through the parting mists, head bowed. A sudden crash of thunder was followed closely by a tormenting downpour, slowly dissolving the haze. He relaxed his guard slightly. Haku wasn't following him. Still, at every shadow cast through the mysteriously dense fog he jumped, certain the white dragon was lurking, waiting to extract vengeance for the death of his beloved Chihiro. 

And he _did _love her. That much was certain from the way he'd held her limp body and cried her name.

Was the little girl _really _dead? Something inside, some baser instinct come from the unicorn in his blood told him that no, she was really all right, but all evidence he had pointed to the affirmative. He hoped that she was alive; she'd become his friend over the past few days, and she'd come to mean something to him as well. It had only been an accident that she'd gotten in his way. If she'd stayed in her blasted place in the damned cave, none of this would've happened. The dragon would be dead and both of them would be handed over to Yubaba. 

He gave a huge sigh, the breath escaping from his heaving horse sides in a giant _wuff. _Things weren't going at all as planned. Now he didn't even know where the little girl was, where the blasted dragon went, or how to get to anywhere. 

Hard rain pelted his skull, beating the beautiful ebony mane into his neck and back. He sighed again and scratched at an itch on his chest with his nose. 

Nothing was going right anymore.

A sudden sound caught his interest, and he flicked his ears forward to catch the sound. _Hmm… That's it! _The train was coming down the tracks, whistling shrilly.

He ran after the train, transforming into his human form a little more with every step. By the time he was halfway there, he looked like a centaur with a black burn mark in the shape of a ten-point star on his forehead; when he was about thirty meters from the station he was adjusting his newly-grown clothing, a slightly baggier than skin-tight black outfit. Finally, his breathing heavily labored, he arrived at the train station.

The train was coming just around the last corner, smoke billowing from the stack in huge puffs of green smoke. In the past five years they'd changed energy sources, and the smoke, in turn, was green. Onikisu ran his hand through his wind-blown hair and gave his head a hard shake to settle it into place. Maybe they'd still recognize him. Again he sighed. It'd be a long while before he reached the bathhouse, even on the train. 

__

Oh well, he thought. _I'll sleep on the way there. Conductor will wake me when we arrive. _

Brakes screeching their indignant protest, the train ground to a slow halt. It issued a sigh to match Onikisu's as the pent-up steam let out in one quick _whoosh. _The tall metal doors, painted black to match the rest of the train, creaked open slowly. Onikisu was confronted by a tall burly man dressed in a light blue ticket taker's uniform. He held out one white-gloved hand to Onikisu, whom ignored it.

"Take me to Yubaba," he said slowly, clearly. "I am Onikisu. She's expecting me. Put the ticket price on her tab."

The ticket taker closely scrutinized his face, then bowed. Holding up both hands, he curled down his left pinky. 

"Nine stops? Fine. Wake me when we get there." Onikisu brushed past the taker and stretched out on one of the padded benches. Arms crossed over his chest, he closed his eyes and drifted into a light, uneasy sleep. Dreams of a dying brown-eyed woman-child filled his mind, barring him from true relaxation and sleep.

The doors closed with a cutting finality as the train hugged and puffed away. A soft whistle filled the air, gaining shrillness as the locomotive gathered steam and speed. Onikisu glanced around at the empty station, shoved his hands in his pockets, and shuffled off down the tracks. Luckily there hadn't been much rain to flood the area; the water was only deep enough to cover the sole of a shoe.

After a short, brisk walk he was standing before the bathhouse. Warily he looked upon the monstrous building—five stories tall, the paint a bright red with green worn shingles. All about the place was a tired and yet comfortable aura. 

Onikisu walked over to the red and yellow bridge, his footsteps echoing dully. Below him the train rushed by. It was still daylight: the bathhouse was closed and the village deserted. But the shadows were lengthening: it would soon be dusk.

Lounging on the railing of the overpass, Onikisu was found as the doors were thrown open hours later. He was staring disinterestedly at the beige-yellow planking below, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed at the ankle, and his brown pensively furrowed. A playfully breeze tugged at his softly golden hair as it had been for the past three hours. His face was deceptive calm.

Slowly the foreman approached him, his head barely coming up to the man's chest. "Master Onikisu? Yubaba wants to see you."

He signed heavily and pushed himself from the heavy wooden rail. "I know. It's about my mission, right?"

Upstairs Yubaba was furious. Her seven-year-old child, now skilled enough in his own wizardry, had shrunk himself to about the size or a normal human seven-year-old. He had the straw-colored hair of his aunt and mother, but the bright, clear brown eyes of his undiscovered father. The boy's hair fell in his eyes, a slightly curly mop, when he glanced up at Onikisu as the man strode through the door. 

"Mama," he called, "Oni is here."

"I know, Boh. Thank you," came a tired voice from the other room, Boh's nursery. 

His apparent job done, the child looked back down at his toys. He was sprawled on the floor wearing some kind of human clothing. Between his hands were two bags of marbles and a cup. His game consisted of tossing the marbles from one bag into the cup and then trying to knock the cup over with the rest of the marbles so that they spilled into the other, larger bag.

"You wanted to see me?" Onikisu ignored child and directed the question instead to the open nursery door.

The witch of the bathhouse stormed into the study. "Boh, darling, why don't you go play in your room? Mummy just finished cleaning." When the child had scampered out of the room and closed the door, she snarled at her apprentice, "Where are they? The brat and the traitor?"

Onikisu shrugged. "I don't know. Haku took her off somewhere while I was talking to you in the forest."

"They…" She sighed and sat down at her desk. "Fine…fine…"

He watched her carefully, waiting for her to blow up. Instead, she looked up slowly and smiled evilly. "Here's my plan…"

Onikisu listened closely, leaning his hip on the edge of her desk. As the plot continued, slowly he grinned; the mark on his forehead began to darken. When it drew to a conclusion, he was smiling just as wickedly as she and nodding. "Good, good, good plan, Master."

"Will you cooperate?"

"I will."

"Good. Bring her to me."

He was gone in a swirl of dark clothing and a wicked wind.

A week later, a loud crash startled Haku into awareness. Instinctively he reached for Chihiro's still body. He came fully awake when his hand touched just warm space. 

She was gone!


	8. Chapter 8

Haku fought the cocoon of blankets, trying to free himself. The bedding seemed to come alive, however, and wrap itself around him more tightly for all his struggles, tangling him in his terror. Wild thoughts ensnared him while his mind played horrifying movies before his eyes. What if something terrible had happened to her? How could he have let this happen, while she'd been in his arms, supposedly safe and sound?

__

I'll never forgive myself, he thought, _if something's happened to her. _

Finally he struggled his way out of the quilting and he stumbled to his feet, staggering to the doorway. It was closed. Now he knew something was wrong. He'd gotten into the habit of leaving it open so that the breeze could circulate into the room, cooling it as well as refreshing the stale indoor air.

When Haku tried to pull open the door, he slipped on one of the blankets and ended up sprawled out on the floor. The door slammed closed again. There was a shattering noise from further inside the house. Blushing furiously and rubbing his nose, Haku scrambled back to his feet and yanked the door open. 

There was no one there.

Stealthily but quickly he crept down the hall, pressed against the wall and keeping to the shadows. Noises were coming from the kitchen—had someone broken in, kidnapped the sleeping girl, and then tried to ransack the home? 

Reaching the door, he looked through the distorted glass. He could see the blurry shape of a person moving about inside the kitchen, but nothing definite. The person looked small and had slow almost lazy motions. They were crouching on the floor beside the cabinets, poking at the floor.

Slowly inching the door open, Haku peeked around the wooden frame to see inside the dimly lit kitchen. It was well past midnight, the only illumination in the room being a pale shaft of moonlight from the skylight above them and a candle lit on the table. The intruder was half-crouched half-sitting on the floor, their back turned to him. Dark hair was cut to about the length he used to wear his, just barely long enough to pull into a ponytail. A dark silk tunic covered the prowler's body, tapering down into soft pants, both of which Haku recognized as his own. The trespasser was reaching for something spilled on the floor, slowly picking up each piece.

Haku slipped into the room silently then loudly slammed the door behind him. The intruder glanced up sharply, then gasped and dropped the piece of whatever-it-was he was picking up. Haku noted that the scrap was stained crimson before the intruder whirled around, staggering to his feet and into the shadows.

It was not a male standing before him, but a female clutching her hand to her stomach. Dark eyes opened wide, the person stumbled back a bit. The way her eyes kept darting told him that she couldn't really see him.

"Who are you?" he boomed out. "What have you done with Sen?"

"Se… Haku?" The voice was soft, almost pleading. It was totally alien, and yet… somehow familiar. 

Tilting his head to the side and being sure to stay in the shadows, Haku answered, "Step into the light."

Slowly she did as she was told, head bowed. Still, he noted the achingly familiar face and almond eyes. Taking a shaking step toward her, he whispered, "Chihiro?"

Glancing up at him, she smiled briefly. "Haku." Her voice softened still more. Suddenly she winced and held her hand a bit closer to herself.

He was over at her side in an instant, gently but firmly pulling her it away and into the light. Warm liquid stuck to his skin. Noting the deep gash, he looked up at her sharply. "What did you do?"

"Y-you startled me," she stammered, wincing as he nudged the cut, "I dropped the pot and then cut myself cleaning it up."

Suddenly he noticed her swaying a bit on her feet. Her eyes were slowly sliding in and out of focus. Scooping her up into his arms, he tisked, "What are you doing, getting up?" Not really annoyed, he hugged her close. "Gods, Chihiro, I was so scared." As he carried her back to the bedroom, he buried his face in her hair.

Eyes closed, she snuggled up closer to him. "Why? And I need to clean up that mess, Haku…"

"Hush." He smiled gently at her and squeezed her gently. "I'll clean it up once _you _are back in bed. And I was scared because…" His voice trailed off, and when he again spoke, it was terribly soft. "We weren't sure if you were going to wake up." Shifting her over to one arm so he could open the door with the other, he nuzzled her cheek. "You had us all worried, Chihiro."

"We? Us?" She fought down the urge to blush. "Who? Where… are we?"

"Zeniba's home." Very gently he set her down on the pallet and pulled the blankets up over her legs. "Lie down, little one. I'll bring in some of the tea you wanted."

"I'm _fine, _Haku." She struggled to stand, then sighed and placed her head in her hands as a wave of dizziness assaulted her. "Okay, so maybe I'm _not_ fine."

Kneeling beside her, Haku wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "It'll be all right. I promise."

A faint whistling came from the front of the house. Chihiro slapped a hand to her forehead. "I forgot. I put another tea kettle on the stove when I broke the other."

"It's all right. I'll go get your tea. You stay put." He stood and smiled down at her.

"All right." Chihiro nodded, then pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, watching him go.

Haku's heart felt light as the air he breathed as he let the tea steep. She was all right—she would be all right. He carried the pale blue tray into the room and set it on the floor beside the pallet. Chihiro had fallen asleep waiting for him. Lightly he kissed her forehead and tucked the blankets securely around her. 

"Sleep well, little love." 

He put the tray and everything on it away, then pulled out his pallet beside the sleeping girl and went to sleep himself.

__

Something important has happened… I must go. But my mission is not yet complete, I cannot return… I have to end this now, once and for all.


End file.
